Grealish dropped for discipline breach as Everton stun Newcastle 3-1 in Carabao Cup

Jack Grealish was left out of Everton’s squad on disciplinary grounds as his side beat Newcastle 3-1 at Hill Dickinson Stadium to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, deepening questions about the on-loan forward’s future at the club.

Grealish missed a training session ahead of the tie, prompting manager David Moyes and chief executive Angus Kinnear to exclude him from the matchday squad entirely. “It is a club decision and I support it,” Moyes said after the win, declining to elaborate further. “I don’t want to give any details.”

The victory was all the more significant given Everton’s 32-year wait for a major trophy. With Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Brighton and now Newcastle all eliminated, the draw has opened up considerably. The Toffees’ next assignment is a quarter-final trip to League Two Fleetwood Town.

For Grealish, the omission compounds an already difficult spell. He was suspended for January’s FA Cup exit to Sunderland following a red card — a ban imposed by the FA. This latest sanction came from within the club itself, a distinction that underlines how his relationship with Moyes is under strain.

The 29-year-old is only at Everton on loan and has no contract beyond the current season. While a permanent move to Merseyside has been mooted as the most realistic path forward, his standing is fragile. Pep Guardiola ultimately gave up on him at Manchester City, and despite an encouraging start under Moyes, Grealish has struggled for consistent form and influence since City’s 2023 Champions League triumph.

His absence on a night when Everton produced one of their most convincing performances at their new ground only sharpened the contrast. The team advanced without their most high-profile signing; the question now is whether Moyes can bring him back into the fold — or whether Grealish’s time at the club is effectively over before it has properly begun.